Portable building structure.



A. MILLER.

PORTABLE BUILDING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1912.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. MILLER.

PORTABLE BUILDING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1912. yaggg, Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. MILLER.

PORTABLE BUILDING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s, 1912.

1,@75,368, Patented 00t.14,1913.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 Fg 1 A. MILLER.

PORTABLE BUILDING STRUCTURE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1912.

1,@?5,s68, Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

4 SHEBT$SHEET 4.

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TUTRD STATES PATENT FFTQF.

ADOLPH MILLER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE MILLERMANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OFMISSOURI.

PORTABLE BUILDING STRUCTURE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ADoLPH MILLER, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and Stateof M15- souri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPortable Building Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to portable building structures.

It has for its principal objects to produce a system of interchangeableunit sections for the sides, floors, roof, etc., by the use of whichbuildings of difi'erent kinds and sizes may be readily constructed andtaken down, and to attain certain advantages which will hereinafter morefully appear.

The invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements andcombinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification andwherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,Figure 1 isa vertical section of a combined corn crib and grain bin constructed ofseparable units according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a View partly intop plan'and partly in horizontal section in a plane below the grainbin, a portion of the roof being broken away to'show the cornerconnection of the grain bin; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on aline at right angles to the line of section of Fig. 1, only the portionsadjacent to the bottom and the roof being shown; Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of an end roof section; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of anintermediate roof section; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a slattedside section; Fig. 7 1s a perspective view of a floor section; Fig. 8 isa view partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section of adouble corn crib and grain loin structure; Fig. 9 is an outside faceview of an end panel for the superstructure; Fig. 10 is a transversesection through a modification of the superstructure shown in Fig. 8;and Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view of a special roof section.

The structure shown in Figs. 1 to 7, inelusive, includes practically allthe unit sections necessary for a single structure, while in Figs. 8 to11, inclusive, the additional unit sections for a double structure areillustrated. The single. structure will be. de-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 3, 1912.

Patented Oct. Mt, 1.913.

Serial No. 718,273.

other intermediate cleats 4 being locatedabout midway between said upperones and the bottom cleats 3. Intermediate upright members 5 completethe'frames, they being secured to said top connecting members 2 andcleats 3, 4:, in the same manner as the.

side members 1, the only difference being thatsaid intermediate uprightsdo not extend below the bottom cleats 3. Slats 6 are secured to theinner faces of said uprights 1 and 5 at regular intervals between therespective cleats 3, 4, preferably by nails, so that they may easily beknocked off as oocasion requires. The upright side members 1 havecrossed transverse bolt holes 7, S,

therethrough at intervals throughout their length, so that the panelsmay be either secured together endwise or at right angles to each other;while the intermediate upright members 5 have transverse holes 9therethrough extending in a plane parallel with the cleats so as toregister with bolt holes in end extensions of floor sections or panelsto be presently described. Said intermediate upright members 5 are alsolocated to one side of the middle of the panel so as to cooperateinterchangeably with either end of the floor panel as will hereinaftermore clearly appear. The floor sections or panels 10 are rectangular andcomprise flooring strips nailed or otherwise secured to longitudinalmarginal cleats 11 and middle cleats 12. The side marginal cleats 11 areprovided near each end with transverse holes 13 adapted to register whenthe floor panels are placed together edgewise so as to receive securingbolts. The middle cleats extend beyond the ends of the floor platformproper, as at let, and are pro vided with bolt holes 15, and they arepreferably rabbeted, as at 16, the respective end portions beingrabbeted reversely. It is.

rights and. lefts. The roo these rabbeted end portions which are securedto the middle uprights 5 of the side panels, and it is to permit placingthe cleats 12 at the middle of the floor sections that said uprights 5are offset from the middle of their respective panels, thus obviatingthe. necessity for .making the side anels in sections are generallyrectangular and preferably gabled or inclined on opposite sides from amiddle ridge. These sections comprise sheathing 17 nailed orotherwisesecured to a transverse ridge pole or middle cleat 18, end cleats 19,and intermediate cleats 20. Longitudinal cleats 21 are also rovided.These extendifrom end to end o the roof section and are crowned 'tocorrespond to the pitch of the 'roof. They are mortised to receive theends of the cleats 18 and 20 and are framed at their ends with the endsof the end'cleats 19, their lower edges being substantially'fliish withsaid end cleats 19. The longitudinal cleats 21 are also provided withsquare notches 22 adapted to receive the upper edge portions of the sidepanels. There are two patterns of these root sections. In one style thelongitudinal cleat 21 at one side, is flush with the edge of the sectionand the other longitudinal cleat is located some distance inward fromthe adjacent edge. This kind of section may be termed an end section.

' tudinal cleats 21 are both flush with the respective edges of thesection; and this kind tance betwen' the longitudinal cleats is thesame. The only difference is in the widths of the sections, the endsections being widened so as to overhang the sides of the building; andthe intermediate sections being used in a structure requiring more thantwo roof sections. The ortions between the ends of the roof sections andthe adjacent notches 22 constitute overhanging eaves which projectconsiderable distance beyond the sides of the building. The flushlongitudinal cleats 21 are provided with bolt holes 23 so that themeeting edges of the roof sections may be secured together. The slattedside panels and floor sections are of-the same width over all; and theover all length of a floor panel is twice the width less twice thecombined thickness of an upright 1 of a side panel and a slat 6. Theover all distance between the outer ends of the notches 22 in thelongitudinal cleats 21 of a roof section is the same as the over all(length of a floor panel plus twice the combined width of a cross member2 of a side panel and the thickness of a slat 6; 'and the over alldistance between the-outer sides of the longitudinal cleats 21 is thesame as the over all width of a floor panel or a side panel. Therefore,numerous styles of build- In the other pattern the longi-- novascs ingsmay be constructed owing to the interchangeability of the severalsections. For example, as shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the buildingis for a combined corn crib and grain bin. ,It comprises a substructureincluding the slatted side panels, there being two panels used for eachside wall. The

meeting uprights 1 of each pair of the side panels are secured togetherby bolts 7? and the adjoining uprights 1 at the corners of .likesuperstructure or bin whose side walls are made of floor sections .seton end, with their marginal cleats l1 resting on the top horizontalmembers 2 of the lower sidepanels and secured thereto by bolts 13". Theoverlapping projecting portions 14 of the middle cleats 12 being securedtogether by bolts 15. The roof sections are supported by their cleats 21whose notched portions 22 are fitted over the cleats '11 and adjacentmarginal portions of the sheathing of floor sections constitutingopposite side walls of the superstructure or bin, the outer cleats 21fitting just inside the adjacent side walls.- The meeting cleats 21 ofthe roof sections are secured together by bolts 23*, and said outercleats may be nailed to the upper edge portions of the adjacent sidewall panels.

The structure may be modified by omitting the middle floor from the corncrib or slatted substructure. It may be further modified by omitting thegrain bin or boxlike superstructure, and dropping the roof down so thatit rests on the cross members 2 of the slatted sidepanels, thusconstituting only a corn crib. Any of these structures may be extendedby adding floor sections and side wall sections in the same arrangementand using the intermediate roofsecroof sections. That is, two, four ormore (in multiples of two) fioor sections may be bolted edgewisetogether to constitute a floor. Then fioor'sections in proportionatenumbers are set on end as in the superstruc ture shown in Fig. 1; and incase two or more are required for the long side of an elongatedbuilding, the overlapping ends 14 of the middle cleats 12 are fastenedtogether by bolts 15. The roof sections are applied as in the structureshereinbefore described.

Double buildings may be constructed 'in many styles and sizes by making,for example, first two corn cribs, spacing them apart, and then placingthereover a roof comprising specialsections as shown in Figs. 8 to 11,inclusive. These sections comprise sheathing 24 nailed or otherwisesecured to a frame comprising longitudinal outer and intermediate cleats25 and end cleats 26. The sections are beveled at one end so that theymay be joined at aridge. The end cleats 26 are provided with holes toreceive securing bolts 27 and the longitudinal cleats 25 are providedwith holes to receive securing bolts 28, those in the marginal cleatsbeing adapted to receive bolts which secure the abutting edge portionsof two roof sections together, while those of the intermediate cleatsare adapted to receive bolts which fasten roof braces or collar beamsthereto. The longitudinal cleats are provided with reentrant portions orright angular notches 29 adapted to receive the upper edge portions ofthe side wall panels; and adjacent to the inner edges of said notchesare thrust blocks 30 which are nailed or otherwise secured to theundersides of the cleats 25, so as to bear against the inner faces ofthe side panels and resist outward movement of the roof sections whichwould collapse the roof. The cleats are further provided with notches 31adapted to receive the upper edge portions of the side wall panels of abox-like compartment or grain bin which may be arranged as asuperstructure and support for the roof. These special roof sectionslike those fora single structure, are made in end style with oneoverhanging mar ginal portion, and in intermediate style with the outerlongitudinal cleats flush at both sides. The roof is braced by a collarbeam 32 which is bolted at its ends to the intermediate cleats 25 of theroof sections.

By using the special roof sections in connection with the slatted sidewall panels and floor sections hereinbefore described many kinds ofbuildings may be set up, in addition to the double corn crib andsuperposed grain bin structure just above described. F or example,as'shown in Fig. 10, the grain bin is omitted from the superstructure,and the roof sections are braced by crossed braces 33 which are boltedat one end to the marginal cleats 25 of the roof sections and at theiropposite ends to the uprights 1 of the inner slatted side wall panels;the collar beam 32, in this case being used to connect the adjacentinner walls of the substructure. Another building may be constructed byusing the slatted sections for side walls and the special roof sections,making a wider single building. That is by, leaving out the inner wallsof the double corn crib structure and filling in the open space betweenthe double cribs shown in Figs. 8 and 10; and many other modificationscan be made. Furthermore, a corral or pen may be readily constructed byfastening a multiplicity of the slatted side wall sections togetheredgewise.

The roof superstructure of the ty e shown in Figs. 8 and 1.0, may beclose by end panels 34 comprising sheathing nailed or otherwise securedto a frame including a stringer or beam 35 and inclined sides 36.Preferably this panel is divided on the line 37 for convenience inhandling and shipping the sections. In some cases, also, the end panelswill be provided with doors 38, in which case the line of separation ispreferably to one side of the middle of the panel as shown, but,obviously, where no door is provided the panel may be divided at themiddle. Special slatted side wall panels may also be provided with doors39, so that access may be gained to the interior of any of thestructures without knocking oiit any of the slats 6 as is customary, insome cases, to get into the crib.

In order to prevent mice, rats, and other rodents from climbing and alsoto protect the projecting lower end portions of the uprights l of theside panels, it is preferable to place over them a sleeve of somematerial which is impervious to moisture and has a glazed and relativelysmooth surface. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the sleevescomprise ordinary drain tiles 40 having their plain ends embedded in ablock of concrete 41. Concrete is also filled into thetiles to aconsiderable height, as at 42. The ends of the uprights 1 rest on thesebodies of concrete 42, and sand is filled in around the uprights, as at43, nearly to the mouth of the bell portion 44 of the tiles, after whicha thin slab of concrete 45 is placed thereover to form a seal in orderto keep out moisture This slab 45 may be readily bro-ken and removed incase it is desired to withdraw the uprights from the tiles should it bedesired to take the building 1 down. The bell portion 44 of the tileprovides an overhanging ledge which serves to prevent a rodent fromclimbing higher, even sections adapted for both floor and wallconstruction in conjunction with and also without the cooperation ofsaid first-mentioned sections, said second-mentioned sections havwe Iing provisions for coupling them together and for attachment to saidfirst mentioned sections, said first-mentioned sections having meansintermediate of the height thereof for supporting said second-mentionedsections in horizontal relation thereto independently of the attachingmeans.

2. In a system of portable building construction, separable wallsections having provisionfor coupling them together at their verticalmargins, and additional separable sections adapted for both floor andwall construction in conjunction with and also Without the cooperationof said first-mentioned sections, said second-mentioned sections havingprovision for coupling them together at their sides and ends, saidfirst-mentioned wall sections having provision intermediate of theheight thereof for interchangeable attachment with said second-mentionedsections through the end coupling provision 7 thereof aiid having meansfor supporting the ends of sfiid second mentioned sections in the regionof but independently of the at-' extending beyond the ends thereof, saidfirstmentionedsections" having marginal uprights and cross connectingmembers at the upper ends and near the lower ends thereof andalsointermediate said upper and lower members, said sections also havingintermediate uprights located to one side of th 'mid- -dle correspondingto the thickness of the end extensions of the middle cleats of saidsecond-mentioned sections so as to overlap cooperatively in one mannerwith the extension at either end of one of said secondtmentionedsect-ions and having provision intermediate of the height thereof forattachment to the respective extensions in of said first-mentionedsections, said cross connecting members being arranged and adapted tosupport the ends of said secondmentioned sections in horizontal relationthereto independently of the means of attachment between the midldecleat extensions of said second-mentioned sections. and

- the intermediate uprights of said first-men:

tioned sections, the marginal uprights of said first-mentioned sectionshaving provision for attaching said sections together edgewise toconstitute a common wall and also at right angles to each otheratthecorner of two walls, the marginal cleats of said second-mentionedsections having provision and also for attaching them to the upper crossmembers of said first-mentioned sections when set on edge thereon toconstitute a superposed wall section, and the end extensions of saidmiddle cleats of said secondmentioned sections having provision forattachmentto each other when said sections are used for side walls. j

4. In a system of portable building construction, separable wallsections having provision at their vertical margins for coupling forattaching said sections together edgewise them together in a plane andalso when ar ranged at right angles to each other. and additionalseparable sections 'adapted for both floor and wall construction inconjunction with and also without the cooperation of saidfirst-mentioned sections, said secondmentioned sections having provisionattheir sides for coupling them together when arranged in a plane, andhaving extensions at their ends adapted to be secured tosaidfirstmentioned sections when said second-mentioned sectionsconstitute a floor, said end extensions being also adapted to be securedtogether when the sections are stood vertically' on their sides, and thecoupling provision at-the sides of said second-mentioned sections beingadapted to cooperate with similar provision at the tops of saidfirstmentioned-sections when placed thereon to constitute a sup'erposedwall section.

'Signed at St. Louis, this 31st day of August, 1912 a ADOLPH MILLER.Witnesses:

G. A. PENNINGTON, PAULINE AMBERG.

